Darkspacers

Nova

Catherine's Double-Dealing Diplomat

Description:

Bio:

High Concept: Double-Dealing Diplomat

Nova was specially trained to use her geneng ability and natural talents for espionage. She’s good at identifying potential assets and sources of information, and she’s good at manipulating people while covering her own true intentions.

Example Compel:

Nova could spend an FP to compel this Aspect for an Advantage on Deceive or to place a disadvantage on an opponent’s social roll against her. Likewise, the GM or other player could compel this to disadvantage Nova in situations where she is depending on being believed.

Trouble: Dolla Dolla Bills

Born into poverty, Nova overvalues the almighty dollar. She is always tempted to secure financial self-interest ahead of everything else, tying financial freedom to her self-esteem and other concepts of what she wants her life to be. As a result, she knows how to live the high life and has a good chance of knowing the current trends in fashion, personalities, and hobbies among the wealthy and cultured.

Example Compel:

The GM could compel this Aspect to tempt Nova away from other concerns, perhaps directing her to act (temporarily) against the crew’s best interests. Nova could also spend an FP to invoke this Aspect if she wants to ascertain the approximate value of an item.

Phase 1: One is the Loneliest Number

Backstory:

Recruited and trained off the streets by a human government in a backwater system. She rose fast due to her mastery of her geneng abilities, her apolitical philosophies, and her self-interest which pushed her to chase promotions as a requisite to financial success.

Eventually, she quit to go private sector. Eventually, she was head-hunted by a recruiter from FRC (Far Reaches Consortium) where she became a contract political liasion.

Upshot:

Nova is used to being on her own. She’s self-reliant but also guarded.

Example Compel:

Nova could spend an FP to invoke this Aspect to give a Resources roll an Advantage when she’s acting alone. She could also invoke this to thwart opponent’s social rolls.

Phase 2: Burned and Disavowed

Backstory:

FRC hired her out to Baron Vanni due to their development interests in the Broma system. Her job was to work as an all-around aide to Vanni while gathering pertinent info for FRC to exploit and outmaneuver his control of the region.

She got sloppy and one of her communiques was intercepted by an unknown agent of Vanni’s. Vigo, one of Vanni’s security staff who’d been assigned to protect Nova during her contract, was put in charge of transporting her back to Broma Prime to be, presumably, tortured for information and then executed so that the Baron could save face.

FRC has not tried to intervene, meaning she has been disavowed and possibly burned.

Upshot:

Nova is not only a target for Vanni, she is also a target for the FRC. Luckily, Vigo remains unaware of her duplicity and is a close ally and protector.

Example Compel:

The GM could compel this Aspect to disadvantage a Social roll made by Nova, reflecting the idea that some people know her by reputation and will refuse to take on heat by dealing with her.

Phase 3: “Heart” of the Team

Backstory:

Nova manipulates Andy’s curiosity about her situation and impending death and convinces him that his best bet for freedom is in helping her out. He helps her escape her cell as well as getting them some allies from his crew.

Vigo saves her life, choosing her over Vanni, while they mutiny. Later, Nova helps keep the team together as they bicker over what to do next. She manipulates everyone (Jeff Winger style) as best she can to get them to run the Broma Gate.

Upshot:

Nova is explicitly the one person who brings the crew together, but she is also the one that has put them all in the crosshairs. Her secretiveness means they don’t know how dangerous she actually is, and her nature means that she may not care about that anyway. However, there may be potential here for Nova to grow as a person simply by trying to meet the expectation her manipulations have created amongst the other crewmembers (the ones who don’t see through her, anyway).

Example Compel:

The GM or another player could compel this Aspect to make it harder for Nova to win manipulative Social rolls against crew members. At the same time, Nova might invoke this Aspect for an FP to put an Advantage on those rolls.